Predictions for October 7-8 2011

Image via WikipediaThis season I will be doing weekly predictions along with Sioux7 and Alex. I must admit that I am not good at making predictions and I have been blamed for jinxing other fan’s teams in the past. My selections will be bolded.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Non-Conference
Notre Dame at Minnesota-Duluth 7:07 CT
Bemidji State at Miami 7:35 ET
Sacred Heart at Minnesota 4:07 CT
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin 7:07 CT
American Int'l at Michigan Tech 7:07 ET
Minnesota State at Rensselaer 7:00 ET

Ice Breaker
Air Force vs. North Dakota 7:00 CT
Michigan State vs. Boston College 4:07 CT

Maverick Stampede
Mercyhurst vs. Nebraska-Omaha 7:37 CT
Robert Morris vs. Colgate 7:07 CT

Kendall Hockey Classic
Alaska vs. St. Cloud State 5:07 AT
Clarkson at Alaska-Anchorage 7:07 AT

Exhibition
U.S. Under-18 Team at Denver 7:07 MT

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Non-Conference
Sacred Heart at Minnesota 7:07 CT
Bemidji State at Miami 7:05 ET
Northern Michigan at Wisconsin 7:07 CT
American Int'l at Michigan Tech 7:07 ET
Minnesota State at Rensselaer 1:00 ET
Notre Dame at Minnesota-Duluth 7:07 CT

Ice Breaker
Boston College vs. North Dakota 7:07 CT
MSU vs. Air Force 7:37 CT

Maverick Stampede
Colgate vs. Nebraska-Omaha 7:00 CT
Mercyhurst vs. RMU 7:37 CT

Kendall Hockey Classic
St. Cloud State at Alaska-Anchorage 7:07 AT
Alaska vs. Clarkson 4:07 AT

Exhibition
U.S. Under-18 Team at Colorado College 7:37 MT

Analysis - Sacred Heart at Minnesota – When I look at this series on paper, I wonder if the Gophers are trying to rack up wins against the weak sisters of the poor. That being said, the Golden Gophers should win both games but the Gophers can’t look past Sacred Heart. Sweep Minnesota.

Notre Dame at Minnesota-Duluth – this should prove to be an interesting match-up because it's a rematch of their Frozen Four game from last spring. The Irish will probably be looking for some revenge. The Bulldogs have played six games since 2002 and have gone 2-2-2. Prediction split.

Bemidji State at Miami – The BSU Beavers and the MU RedHawks have played twice in recent history with the Beavers winning the last game 3-2 at the Subway Classic in Grand Forks, ND during the 2009 season. This season's match-up at least on paper doesn’t look very good and the Beavers probably wont surprise the RedHawks again this time around. Miami Sweeps.

Northern Michigan at Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Badgers have had some success against the Wildcats as of late and own a 4-2-1 record the last seven games against the Wildcats but this isn’t your daddy’s Wisconsin Badgers hockey team. The Badgers enter the season with three goalies with no college hockey experience. what-so-ever.  That being said, I am going with a sweep for the Wisconsin because the Badgers while minus some good players from last season’s team still has a strong nucleus of  returning player that will turn some heads this season.  Also, Badgers coach Mikes Eaves seems to get the most out of his players.  Sweep Wisconsin.

American Int'l at Michigan Tech – Mel Pearson makes his head coaching debut against the AIC Yellow Jackets (8-24-1 2010-11) another team that had a tough season last year.  The Michigan Tech Huskies started last season on five game unbeaten streak before they went on a horrible streak where they didn’t win a game from October 29^th till February 18^th.  A WCHA cellar dweller is better than a AHA cellar dweller. I am going to with a Huskies sweep.

Air Force vs. North Dakota – The UND Fighting Sioux start the season against the AFA Falcons, the Fighting Sioux are a shell of their former self the Fighting Sioux lost 294 points from last year's 471 point offensive point total. The good news is that the Fighting Sioux still have quite a few offensive weapons in the arsenal led by Danny Kristo, Brock Nelson and Corbin Knight. Sioux win.

Boston College vs. North Dakota – The Sioux haven’t had a lot of luck against the Boston College Eagles as of late and they have lost the last four games they have played against the Eagles, however, one could say that the Sioux are due against the Eagles (6-1 Eagles April 2008, 6-4 Eagles April 2007, 6-5 Eagles 2006). Sioux break through with a win in the Ice Breaker. Sioux win.

Minnesota State at Rensselaer – This could be an interesting series both teams like to play a physical brand of hockey.  The Engineers lost in the first round of the NCAA playoffs to the UND Fighting Sioux and are going to want to start the season on a high note.  The Mavericks had what some would have classified as a rough season, as they went 14-18-6; missed the NCAA tourney and the Final Five. Also, the  Mavericks lost some notable players on defense, Kurt Davis, Ben Youds and Channing Boe and the Mavericks could take their lumps early on. I going with a split.   

Wild Trade Martin Havlat for Ex-Badger Dany Heatley

Image via WikipediaWe don't need no stinking Badgers... I have to say that I am still in a state of shock, the Minnesota Wild pull off their second major block buster trade of the offseason in less than two weeks. Just 9 days ago the Minnesota Wild traded defenseman Brent Burns to the Sharks for forward Devin Setoguchi.

The Minnesota Wild have traded for ex-Wisconsin Badgers star and San Jose Shark Dany Heatley in exchange the Sharks get much injured and soft Martin Havlat. This could be a great trade because the Wild get their much need offensive threat after losing Marian Gaborik to the New York Rangers.

Carly Peters - Digital Media Coordinator “We are excited to add Dany Heatley, one of the top goal scorers in the NHL, to our team,” said Fletcher. “He is a quality player who has averaged more than a point a game in his nine-year career.”

Heatley recorded 64 points (26-38=64) in 80 games last season with the Sharks. The 30-year-old native of Freiburg, Germany ranked tied for 12th in the NHL with 11 power-play goals and added five game-winning goals. Heatley added nine points (3-6=9) in 18 playoff games. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger ranks first in the NHL in power-play goals (128) and game-winning goals (58), third in goals and fifth in points since he entered the league in 2001. He has has collected 689 points (325-364=689) in 669 career contests in nine seasons with Atlanta, Ottawa and San Jose. He was the winner of the 2002 Calder Memorial Trophy, named to the 2006 NHL Second All-Star Team, the 2007 First All-Star Team and has been named to the NHL All-Star Game four times.

Heatley is familiar with the midwest, having played two seasons (1999-2001) at the University of Wisconsin, where he notched 113 points (52-61=113) in 77 games and was named the 2000 WCHA Rookie of the Year and to the 2001 NCAA West First All-American Team. He was originally selected by the Thrashers with the second overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Havlat tallied 116 points (40-76=116) in 151 games in two seasons with Minnesota. The 30-year-old has recorded 512 points (209-303=512) in 621 career NHL games with Ottawa, Chicago and the Wild.

You have to wonder if the Wild are done making moves? This could turn out being a very exciting summer. The Wild have some exciting young talent waiting in the wings as well in Zucker, Larsson, and Granlund.

A couple of things from the Badgers presser...

There are a few items of interest for Sioux fans from the University of Wisconsin media day press conference. Coach Eaves touches on a Craig Smith snap and also the type of hockey team that UND is.

QUESTION #3: To what extent did the frustrations of the whole weekend kind of boil over in the third period of Saturday's game?

EAVES: Well, you know, it's a 1-0 game and we tie it up in the third period, even though we hadn't played that well. And I think the frustration kind of rose itself through Mr. Smith's actions there. And, you know, that costs us. We had to kill the penalty. And they scored on that power play. And that hurt. And that was a lesson for not only the team but Craig. His virtue sometimes is vice. His great competitiveness is what makes him an excellent hockey player, but when he crosses the line, it hurts him and it hurts our team.

We've seen it in other players we've had here. Ryan McMurchy was that same type of player, Brendan Smith is that same type of player. They've got to learn to handle that and harness that energy, and use it for a positive and not let it run into the negative side. But that's part of our jobs as coaches here is to help these young men understand that.

QUESTION #5: Minnesota-Duluth seemingly has the same type of veteran presence that North Dakota has. What are the different challenges that Duluth will present that perhaps North Dakota did not?

EAVES: Well, I think one of the strengths of North Dakota is their size and physicalness. They play hard like no other in our league. I think Duluth is a little bit different. I think they have better presence and poise with the puck. And so they'll bring that challenge to us. That will be the two differences.

Some one jumped the gun? Ryan McDonagh still a Badger...

There has been some chatter on the Internet about the Badgers star defenseman Ryan McDonagh signing a professional contract with the New York Rangers but it appears that Corey Pronman might have jumped the gun a bit. Chuck Swartz has since called Corey Pronman out for this mistake.

Last night Corey Pronman from Puck Prospectus tweeted that Ryan McDonagh had joined Derek Stepan in signing entry level contracts with the New York Rangers. Finally got a hold of Pronman this morning and he regrettably admitted that he had made a mistake and that McDonagh had NOT yet signed with the Rangers.

"I apologize for the tweet about McDonagh, it was a false alarm from someone I knew in Wisconsin. Sincere apologies. I do feel incredibly bad for that."

So McDonagh is safe at least for now. I wouldn't expect to hear any more updates until after Rangers prospects camp this summer. We'll keep you updated if there is any news of course.

10:10 AM-Update from New York Post Rangers Beat Writer Larry Brooks:

"An fyi in case it has been reported otherwise: No progress at all in talks between Rangers and Badgers' senior D Ryan McDonagh."

What a crazy summer it has been for the Wisconsin Badgers, you have to wonder if they will lose Ryan McDonagh which would be a big loss but the Badgers also have many able bodied recruits waiting in the wings.

Any more WCHA defections?

Here is a blurb that is going to make Wisconsin Badgers fans a little nervous. Since this is coming from Larry Brooks one might question this story's validity a bit. The Prospect Park kind of picks apart the Larry Brooks article.

Sather said that he would like to sign Wisconsin senior defenseman Ryan McDonagh and junior center Derek Stepan. The GM told The Post both players would attend the Blueshirts’ prospects camp the first week of July.

“We’d like to get them in and have them earn jobs,” Sather said of the two young Americans. “We’re excited to see whether [Evgeny] Grachev and [Dale] Weise and some of our other kids can earn jobs. [New York Post]